


Penny for your Thoughts?

by TinyPineTrees



Category: Peaky Blinders (TV)
Genre: Alfie can hear other people’s thoughts, Fluff, M/M, Mild Kissing, Prompt Meme Fill, Tommy cannot, Vaguely Smutty
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-09
Updated: 2020-01-09
Packaged: 2021-02-27 04:27:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,866
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22181053
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TinyPineTrees/pseuds/TinyPineTrees
Summary: Tommy’s quiet thoughts tickled at the back of Alfie’s mind, whispering like a breeze and cooling his burning temper. Always soft sounds, nearly imperceptible. He was forever too muted for Alfie to really understand.
Relationships: Tommy Shelby/Alfie Solomons
Comments: 10
Kudos: 131
Collections: Sholomons Prompt Fest 2019





	Penny for your Thoughts?

**Author's Note:**

  * In response to a prompt by [weeo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/weeo/pseuds/weeo) in the [Sholomons_Prompt_Fest_2019](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/Sholomons_Prompt_Fest_2019) collection. 



> **Prompt:**
> 
> One of them hears people's thoughts. It's already not so easy to have relationships with that power, but it's even worse when the person you're forced to spend time with is a prick.
> 
> Extra little ideas if they inspire (A is hearing the thoughts of B): a coworker he's stuck everyday with, B's thoughts are nicer than the things he says or tones his remarks down in his mind, there is a sudden realization in B's thoughts at an unexpected moment ("he has nice hair... " for example), B just has a really little smile on the face after A's joke but A hears B laughing in his thoughts

  
  


Tommy’s quiet thoughts tickled at the back of Alfie’s mind, whispering like a breeze and cooling his burning temper. Always soft sounds, nearly imperceptible. He was forever too muted for Alfie to really understand. 

“Thank you, Alberts, for explaining how ‘stuff’ works. I never would've figured it out myself, mate, really. Fucking impossible,” Alfie said wryly. 

Tommy tossed him pacifying look, his cigarette hissing as Alberts blushed. 

_‘They won’t take me seriously! Is this salvageable? Is this- can I still turn a profit? How can I fix it? How can I-”_ Alberts’ desperate thoughts rang in Alfie’s ears as his face turned fearful and sweat broke out across his forehead. The color drained from his cheeks, and his fingers clenched and fidgeted as he pulled at loose threads on his coat sleeves. 

The frayed coat spoke more of an anxious man than a poor one, as a sleek bowler hat rested in his lap, and annoyingly shiny shoes rapped constantly on Alfie’s old wooden floor. Alfie far preferred Tommy’s ridiculously expensive shoes on his dingy floor to Alberts’. 

Well, he liked to pull them off of him and watch them fall on the floor. Tommy would snap at him about it and complain that the heel would be scuffed or laces ripped, but he flushed too prettily for Alfie to stop. 

_Still,_ Alfie thought as he blinked Tommy’s pleasant image away, _no one in London had nice shoes like that without the money to afford them._

Alberts dressed well enough to comfortably pay them, so why hadn’t he?

“Mr. Solomons, I’m only explaining the cheapest payment plan--” Alberts’ tried, his courage slipping away the longer Alfie and Tommy were silent. 

“No, you are explaining how business works. Let’s ask ourselves a hypothetical,” Alfie said, fully intending on laying out what had actually happened and not asking a hypothetical. “If I were to do business with you, such as I have.” His hands swung wide as he spoke, his bracelets rolling and clicking. “And I say, I’ll have 70% of the profits, and you 30, and we agree, shake on it and sign the papers, then, what happens next, eh? Well you’d hand over my 70% of the profits when I ask, and we’d go about our days. Fuckin’ simple, mate.” 

It was. It was absolutely that fucking simple. Being aware of Alberts’ inner thoughts only made Alfie want to know more. He’d whined about his problems and worried over what to do next, but hadn’t mentioned why he hadn’t turned the money over. 

Tommy had been bothered by Alberts’ lack of response for three days now. He’d been up pacing at night, unable to relax when they were in Birmingham and unable to let it go even when they were alone. Tension thrummed through him, raising his shoulders and turning his face to stone. He had a fair reason to be worried. If Alberts’ was double crossing them, they’d be out of the profits, and Alberts might have thought to pay Sabini for protection due to the incredibly likely event that either of them could snap and try to kill him. It had the potential to turn pretty fucking bloody. 

“Mr. Solomons, I--” Alberts dabbed at his forehead. _‘Shouldn’t have made deals, should’ve stayed home, shouldn’t have gone out, should’ve stayed with Jane--.’_ Alberts’ thoughts sped too fast for Alfie to follow. 

Alfie could only guess if Alberts’ was imagining the woman he should’ve stayed with. 

He lamented, not for the first time, that he couldn’t see the images people visualized. It did make him wonder if Tommy was a visual thinker though, and if that was why his thoughts were so quiet. 

“So, here’s what we’re going to do,” Alfie started, blinking distractedly when he felt the prickling of Tommy’s voice, feather light, at the back of his mind. 

Despite being unable to make out any words, Tommy’s tone was clear. ‘Settle it.’ 

Nodding decisively, Alfie brushed a hand through his beard. It was late, and Alberts wasn’t worth anymore of their time. He certainly didn’t want Tommy losing anymore sleep over him. 

“We’ll take 95% of the cut today,” Alfie said finally, watching Alberts’ eyes widen and his face pale even further. “A small fee for the delay, and if you don’t have it, well.” He shrugged and reached into his desk drawer. If Tommy wanted it settled, then settled it was.

Twenty minutes and one wad of cash, coins, a watch, and a pair of nice shiny shoes later, their business was done. 

“So,” Alfie stood, groaning as his knees popped and he stretched his back. “Alberts’ is out then. Suppose we can look at a few other buyers. Although,” he sniffed and rubbed at his nose. “He was the least horrible of the last lot of them.” 

“What did he say?” Tommy asked, smoke curling daintily over his head as he stubbed his cigarette and pushed his chair in, stepping closer to Alfie. 

“Say?” Alfie smiled knowingly, “Got ears, don’t you, love? Nice ones too.” Alfie’s fingers danced gently over the shell of his ear, sneaking behind and gently scratching at the back of his head. He laughed as Tommy batted his hand away. “Aren’t you the one always going on about the values of listening?”

“Alfie,” Tommy heaved a long suffering sigh. His thoughts echoed blurrily in Alfie’s ears, as though he’d been shouting into the wind. 

“Yes, dove?” Alfie asked, reaching back behind his head and smiling as Tommy inched closer this time, allowing Alfie’s fingers to card through his hair. “How may I, with all of my impressive skill and talent, help--”

“Alfie.” Tommy thumped his hand lightly on Alfie’s chest. “Tell me.” 

“Well you heard him just now, didn’t you?” Alfie asked, nudging Tommy closer as he tugged lightly on the longer hair atop his head. Tommy’s thoughts whispered fiercely, rising in pitch but never breaking free from their foggy, muted sound. 

“What did he _think_?” Tommy asked then, backing Alfie up against the wall. 

“Oh, well, that is a vastly different question,” Alfie said, walking easily with Tommy as he moved. “Lets see, well, he thought a lot about his safety, right.”

Tommy nodded along, his thoughts drifting quiet as Alfie’s hand inched down to cup the back of his head again. 

“And?” 

“And?” Alfie asked. “And what?” His hands slid down Tommy’s waist, landing on his hips and sneaking under his thick, black waistcoat to touch the soft fabric beneath. Arousal simmered in his chest, bubbling and burning as it trailed downward. 

“And why didn’t he pay on time?” Tommy asked. 

“Oh, well as it happens,” Alfie started, his voice deepening as Tommy wound his fingers into his beard. Tommy brushed his lips over Alfie’s chin. 

“As it happens?” Tommy repeated encouragingly, kisses climbing higher until they met his lips. 

“Yeah, well, as it happens, he decided to make a few big fucking purchases,” Alfie whispered, as he met Tommy’s lips again.

“Big purchases.” Tommy deadpanned and pulled away. 

“Right, big fucking purchases,” Alfie said. “He bought a horse. Two, in fact, and several caravan wagons to match.” 

“Fuck off,” Tommy snapped, pulling away from Alfie. His thoughts took on a murderous tone, hissing sharply in Alfie’s ears. 

Alfie swung him closer quickly, his hands tight around his waist as he spun them around and pushed Tommy up against the wall, grunting apologetically when his head knocked soundly against the wood. 

Biting bruisingly on Alfie’s lip, Tommy licked into his mouth again, slick and soft and _fucking perfect._

One of Tommy’s legs slid up and around Alfie’s hip, tugging him flush so Alfie could feel his stiffening cock. Alfie’s hand slid away from his waist, reaching down to heft Tommy higher on his hip and hold him there. 

_‘’I can handle this.’_ Ollie’s warbly, nervous voice echoed in Alfie’s ears. 

“Shit.” Alfie broke away, his voice rolling on their shared breath. “We can’t fuck in here, love, too many windows. Your rules.”

The spitting angry thoughts that had thundered in his ears seconds ago turned soft and quiet again, leaving only the sound of their breath, puffing hotly around them.

“What--” Tommy started, inhaling heavily as his pupil dark eyes tracked over Alfie’s. His fingers clenched around Alfie’s undershirt and he jerked his hips, but Alfie held him still. 

Tommy’s teeth wore into his dappled and bruised lips, and even to Alfie’s unsure ears, his thoughts sounded half conscious, tossing behind his eyes as he debated his ‘No Fucking in Alfie’s Very Visible Office’ rule. Finally he sniffed and nodded, reaching one hand up to push the sweaty hair from his eyes.

Alfie’s tight grip loosened as he set Tommy shakily back on his feet and stepped back, fighting the urge to shove him right back up against the wall or bend him over his desk. 

“Alfie!” Ollie banged once on the door and twisted the knob. A muffled sound echoed when he realized it was locked, and he appeared in the window just left of the door, peering into Alfie’s office. Spotting Alfie, he knocked on the glass. “Alfie--” he shouted before stopping short. 

_‘Fuck! Did he get in a fight with Shelby, fuck-shit, fucking-should’ve--’_

Alfie snuck a glance at Tommy, feeling his trousers tightening indecently as Tommy attempted to straighten his hair and clothes, only making it worse the longer he tried. 

Tommy rubbed at his chin, and his lips parted in a silent hiss at the beard burn. 

Alfie hummed. It must look to Ollie like he’d slapped him.

He wanted to pull him close again though, to shove him into a dark corner and stare into his pretty eyes and kiss him. He wanted to drag his beard over that pale face until Tommy whined and begged. 

Tommy coughed, his hands a flurry of movement as he dug through his trousers pockets, likely searching for a cigarette. 

“Ollie mate, we’re having a discussion at the moment. Come back in ten minutes.”

_‘Discussion my arse, I don’t want to be here if Shelby’s mad fucking brother shows up because Alfie had to beat some sense into him!’_ Ollie’s eyes flickered between the two as a worrying line creased his forehead. 

Alfie could appreciate not wanting to deal with Arthur. His blurry, chaotic thoughts were too similar to Tommy’s, in the way that Alfie was completely unable to understand him. Emotions spoke louder than words though, and Arthur rarely needed to tell someone when he was angry.

“Alfie, I don’t--” Ollie began.

“Ollie!” Alfie snapped, whirling around and watching as Ollie’s shadow disappeared from the hallway. 

Tommy dragged a match across the box, igniting it and lighting his cigarette, filling the room with its ashy smell. His thoughts were whisper light once more, and Ollie’s were nowhere to be found. He’d talk with him later, try and calm him down and convince him Arthur wasn’t going to come tearing through the bakery.

“So,” Tommy blew out a steady stream of smoke. “Why hadn’t Alberts’ paid on time?” he asked. 

“He was broke.” Alfie said, smiling as Tommy huffed and gave up trying to neaten his appearance. “He blew it all on whores and whiskey.”

  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> My dear weeo, your prompt was too lovely to pass up! Thank you muse for beta-ing, you are ever amazing. ❤️ 
> 
> Thank you so much for reading! Please comment below if you enjoyed it! Reading them cheers me up like you wouldn’t believe!


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